Adaptive heat dissipating device

ABSTRACT

An adaptive heat dissipating device includes a heat-transfer element and a heat-dissipation element. An end of the heat-transfer element is a spherical body, and an end of the heat-dissipation element is a semispherical socket for correspondingly receiving the spherical body therein, such that the spherical body is rotatably connected to the semispherical socket. Therefore, the heat-transfer element has enough degrees of freedom to rotate in different directions and pitch at different angles relative to the heat-dissipation element. With these arrangements, the adaptive heat dissipating device can have largely upgraded heat dissipation efficiency and increased flexibility in application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adaptive heat dissipating device, and more particularly to an adaptive heat dissipating device having enough degrees of freedom to rotate in different directions and pitch at different angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A light-emitting-diode (LED) lamp has high brightness and low power consumption, and is therefore the first choice among people to effectuate energy-saving in their daily life. The LED lamp has now be widely applied in warning signs as well as various indoor and outdoor lamps to meet the target of energy saving and carbon reduction.

Moreover, the high-brightness LED lamp has also been widely applied to car lamps. In the early stage, the LED lamp was applied only to directional light and brake light. Now, with the high-brightness multi-chip LED bulb, the LED lamp can also be applied to the headlight. However, since the high-brightness multi-chip LED bulb would produce a large amount of heat during the operation thereof, the produced heat must be timely dissipated to avoid foggy headlight lens and reflector.

To solve the problem about the heat dissipation of an LED lamp, different heat dissipating devices and elements, such as heat sinks and radiating fin assemblies, are usually used to remove the heat produced by the high-brightness LED bulb, so as to lower the temperature in the LED lamp and avoid the occurrence of foggy headlight lens and reflector.

Further, since headlights from different car manufacturers are different in shape and mounting angle, the heat dissipating device must be designed to match the lens of the LED headlight. Difficulties will be encountered and cost will be increased in the case the heat dissipating device is to be installed in a headlight with an inclined angle. In the case the heat-dissipating device includes a heat pipe, the heat pipe will allow only very limited bending angle, which might not be able to satisfy some headlights with a large angular design. Since the currently available heat-dissipating device for the LED headlight is generally fixed installed, it is not able to rotate sidewardly or to pitch up and down along with an adaptive headlight that will automatically turn sidewardly or pitch with turning of car. Therefore, the existing heat sinks or radiating fin assemblies applied to the fixed type LED headlight could not be used with the adaptive headlight.

In brief, the conventional heat dissipating device for LED lamp has the following disadvantages: (1) requiring high manufacturing cost; (2) difficult to design; (3) uneasy to install; and (4) having poor adaptability and applicability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an adaptive heat dissipating device having enough degrees of freedom to rotate in different directions and pitch at different angles and can therefore provide upgraded heat dissipation efficiency.

To achieve the above and other objects, the adaptive heat dissipating device according to the present invention includes a heat-transfer element and a heat-dissipation element. The heat-transfer element has a main body, a heat absorbing section provided on the main body, a first connecting section connected at an end to the main body, and a spherical body connected to another end of the first connecting section opposite to the main body. The heat-dissipation element has a base, a heat radiating section provided on the base, a second connecting section connected at an end to the base, and a semispherical socket connected to another end of the second connecting section opposite to the base, such that the spherical body is rotatably received in and connected to the semispherical socket.

Therefore, the heat-transfer element has enough degrees of freedom to rotate in different directions and pitch at different angles relative to the heat-dissipation element. With these arrangements, the adaptive heat dissipating device can have largely upgraded heat dissipation efficiency and increased flexibility in application.

In brief, the adaptive heat dissipating device of the present invention has the following advantages: (1) having simple structure to enable easy installation thereof; (2) having high degrees of freedom to adapt to different working environments; and (3) providing high flexibility in application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an adaptive heat dissipating device according to a first and preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an adaptive heat dissipating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view showing the connection of a heat-producing unit to a heat-transfer element of the adaptive heat dissipating device according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the connection of the heat-transfer element to a heat-dissipation element of the adaptive heat dissipating device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show the heat-transfer element of the adaptive heat dissipating device of the present invention in use is horizontally turnable along with the heat-producing unit connected thereto; and

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b show the heat-transfer element of the adaptive heat dissipating device of the present invention in use is vertically turnable along with the heat-producing unit connected thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of an adaptive heat dissipating device 1 according to a first and preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 in the first embodiment includes a heat-transfer element 11 and a heat-dissipation element 12.

The heat-transfer element 11 includes a main body 111, on which a heat absorbing section 112 and a first connecting section 113 are provided; and a spherical body 114 connected to an end of the first connecting section 113 opposite to the main body 111.

The heat-dissipation element 12 includes a base 121, a heat radiating section 122 provided on the base 121, a second connecting section 123 connected at an end to the base 121, and a semispherical socket 124 connected to another end of the second connecting section 123 opposite to the base for correspondingly receiving the spherical body 114 therein, such that the spherical body 114 is rotatably connected to the semispherical socket 124.

The main body 111, the first connecting section 113 and the spherical body 114 are integrally formed to function like a heat pipe. The base 121, the second connecting section 123 and the semispherical socket 124 are also integrally formed to function like a heat pipe. That is, these two heat pipes respectively define an internal chamber, in which a capillary structure and a working fluid are provided. By forming the heat-transfer element 11 and the heat-dissipation element 12 into two heat pipes, heat absorbed by the heat-transfer element 11 can be transferred to the heat-dissipation element 12 in upgraded heat transfer efficiency.

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of an adaptive heat dissipating device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 in the second embodiment includes a heat-transfer element 11 and a heat-dissipation element 12.

Since the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 in the second embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment, elements that are the same in the two embodiments are not repeatedly described herein. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment mainly in that, in the heat-transfer element 11, only the first connecting section 113 located between the main body 111 and the spherical body 114 is formed as a heat pipe, and the first connecting section 113 has two opposite ends separately inserted into the main body 111 and the spherical body 114; and that, in the heat-dissipation element 12, only the second connecting section 123 located between the base 121 and the semispherical socket 124 is formed as a heat pipe, and the second connecting section 123 has two opposite ends separately inserted into the base 121 and the semispherical socket 124. By forming the first and the second connecting section 113, 123 into two heat pipes, heat absorbed by the heat-transfer element 11 can be transferred to the heat-dissipation element 12 in upgraded heat transfer efficiency.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 4. The heat radiating section 122 of the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 can be differently structured. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the heat radiating section 122 includes a plurality of pin fins, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the heat radiating section 122 includes a plurality of straight fins, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The heat absorbing section 112 of the heat-transfer element 11 is connected to at least one heat-producing unit 2. A heat conducting medium 3 is applied between the heat absorbing section 112 and the heat-producing unit 2, as shown in FIG. 5. The heat conducting medium 3 is also applied between the spherical body 114 and the semispherical socket 124, as shown in FIG. 6. The heat conducting medium 3 can be any one of a solder paste and a thermal paste.

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b shows the heat-transfer element 11 of the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 in use is horizontally turnable along with the heat-producing unit 2 connected thereto. FIGS. 8 a and 8 b shows the heat-transfer element 11 of the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 in use is vertically turnable along with the heat-producing unit 2 connected thereto. The heat-producing unit 2 is a light-emitting-diode (LED) module for applying to an automobile lamp (not shown).

With the above arrangements, the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 of the present invention is displaceable and has enough degrees of freedom to turn in multiple directions as shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b and to pitch at multiple angles as shown in FIGS. 8 a and 8 b. Thus, the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 of the present invention can be used with an adaptive headlight for automobile and allows the LED module of the headlight to displace, rotate and pitch in different angles and directions. In other words, the adaptive heat dissipating device 1 of the present invention can be used with the LED module in increased flexibility. 

1. An adaptive heat dissipating device, comprising: a heat-transfer element having a main body, a heat absorbing section provided on the main body, a first connecting section connected at an end to the main body, and a spherical body connected to another end of the first connecting section opposite to the main body; and a heat-dissipation element having a base, a heat radiating section provided on the base, a second connecting section connected at an end to the base, and a semispherical socket connected to another end of the second connecting section opposite to the base, such that the spherical body is rotatably received in and connected to the semispherical socket.
 2. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat radiating section includes a plurality of radiating fins, and the radiating fins being selected from the group consisting of pin fins and straight fins.
 3. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat absorbing section of the heat-transfer element is connected to at least one heat-producing unit.
 4. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a heat conducting medium is applied between the heat absorbing section and the heat-producing unit.
 5. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat conducting medium is applied between the spherical body and the semispherical socket.
 6. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heat conducting medium is selected from the group consisting of a solder paste and a thermal paste.
 7. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the heat conducting medium is selected from the group consisting of a solder paste and a thermal paste.
 8. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heat-producing unit is an LED module.
 9. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heat-producing unit is an LED module.
 10. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connecting section is a heat pipe.
 11. The adaptive heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second connecting section is a heat pipe. 